Semi-automatic gun



L. Ll DRIGGS. SEMI-AUTOMATIC GUN. APPLICATION mso Junrs, 1911.

1,393,353, Pame gms 181.1,E 1?21.

N. i? A Patentd Oct. 1l, l1921'.

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L. L. DRI

SEMI-AUTOMA N- APR LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL 7.

v 1,393,353. Patented Oct 11,1921

8 SHEETS-ISHEET..

LLL. umass, 'SEMI-AUTOMATIC GUN. v

- APPLICATION FILEID JUNE 9. 19H. 1,393,353, Patented .Oct 11, 1921.`

B SHEETSFSHEET L. L. DRIGGS.

SEMI-AUTOMATIUGUN.

APPLICATION FILED :um: 9, 1911.

1,393,353, Patented 00L 1921.

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UNITI-1v1 LOUIS n nnroes, or NEWYORK, NY. l

i Application area .Tune 9,.

all whom it 'may concern: i l j l *Be it'known that I, Lo-Urs L. DRIGGS,a ycitizen of the Unitedl States,residing at State of New York, haveinvented certain new and nseulfImprovement-s in Semi-Au- Y tomatic Guns;and I-'do vhereby/declare the following to bea full, clear, andvexac'tde. scription of the invention, suchas fwillenable others skilled in theart to which it ap#v Vpertains tovmakeand use the same.

My present invention relates'to'improv'e ments in semi-automatic guns,and Vitv is intended to provide an `anti-aircraft gun 'of mediumcaliber, such as from two .and a halfto four inches, which may befired.l at

l a high elevation and impart-to the projec- Y .tileal high initialvelocity, and in whlchthe breech me hanisrn mayl b e readily voperatedeither by hand or semi-automatically.

My invention is more especially intended tolprovide' an improvement onthe general' type vof gun shown in my'Pate'nt No. 996,569,

' ofJiuie 27, 1911, entitled Improvements in semi-automatic gunsi Y Y .Yl

My invention-will be more clearly under- 'diawings, in whichthe saineparts areindicated by similar reference symbols throughoutpthe severalviews.

-F-igure 1 shows a side elevation of the ."gnnfand the npperportion ofthe mount,

partsV being broken away; f YFig.. 2 is a. rear elevation ofthe gunand,v

I I10nnt;;v g Y 1 Figa 3 shows a central horizontal vsection through theaxisofthe bore .with the i breech'"-block in the closed position, partevzbeingrsho'wn in elevation; Y'

'Fig.. 4 shows a similar view to Fig.l 3,

' 'but with the breech block inthe open po-g 'bio'ck.- with an ai@VVA50.

jsitio'npand the cartridgeY case partly `drawn Ito the rear;

Fig. V5 shows a central sectionthronghthe breech of the gun, and thebreech block chamber, all the mechanism being removed therefrom;` 1 Y A'Fig. 6 shows aplan viewV of the breech therefrom Y l Fig. 7 shows acentral hori'zontalsection throughthe breech block, with all the mech-'lanisrn removed therefrom :2755) bolt, with theroperating lever `and tl1e'.haI1-` VFig. 8` shows a .plan view ofV the main i. Speccaton of'.-Fig. l2 shows a section tion of the arrows g Adetached from the gum.A

-'semi;autornati'c o -1n dotted lines; 3 f

A'the breech'. block;

Fig.-17 shows onY a: Alarger scale-:certainAV details'pottlie firingmechanism, the'breechV sectionralo'ng the l Y Fig.` 18- shows a sectionalo lineglSlSfofFig.17;; 'I" v Fig. `19show's one of:thereniovable-blocks i :for-forming partjofthej onrnalibearingfory i Imechanism i removed" Salar-AUTOMATIC GUN.

1917. semaine. 173,898. Y

being broken away ,partly linV section Fig. v9 is. a side elevation'ofthe main and operatingleverjand cams show-n @in Fig.

. dle forgoperatingithe sainebyhand, the view :along lthe broken line8f-8 of Fig. 9i;V 1 New York, in the countyV of New York'and 8, theupper'portion being shown partly in section Valong,theflinei9590i Fig.83" and i looking in the direction of the arrows;..,

:Fiomn 10 shows'a .similar View tQFigtS, .Y Y

yi565 Y p ngfthe'- line grin the; direcf with the handle removed;

- Fig.- 11 lshows a section alo 11-11of Fig. 9, and lookin tion'of thearrows; v

12-12 of Fig. 9, and'loo Fig. -13 showswa-:p bracket and the camsmounted Fig. leshowspasection allongfthe -rection 'of thek arrowsglthefinain -boltfand f IFighlshovvs an endlview ofthe' breech block andextractors lwith a :portion-fof the stood lafter referenceto theaccompanying f r amig al@ une rg king i171 v.the direc-237.0y

lan view f ofv thev cam there1n,; as c.

. .175 "linelcfl/lof Fig. l3,.and lookingin thedi-jperating arms being'shown cartridge case, the breech block being'fshown .partlyV Vin.section .zalongjthe broken line ftiono-'the arrows ,and shows 'thevcocking 'i lever andpivot pin for the same. inplace on "Fig. 16 isa'detail showing in perspect ive the-pivotzp'in of the cockinglever;

thelnainboltif. Y

v Fig. 120 is; ay detail showinga side eleva- 'tion ofthe extractor.;l n1 v 'Fig-21'shows av planview of the lower one of theextractors.; and YFig. 22 is a rear"elevation` o extractors as removed from the gung" The:gun bodylisV mounted in the slide;-

,greaterelevationofl the "gunfq Said fsyoke 'isrotatably,mounted-onfanysnltable mount,.-

Y frequent practice heretofore, in order to perbefore the gun couldbeybrought to a high..

clamped at any desired position in azimuthV by the clamp 7.

The slide is provided with two bands 8j to engagethe rib 18 of thebreech block chamber, in front' of which groove is a rib kand 9 toengage the' recoil cylinder 10, which vcylinder is mounted on top of thegun instead of Vat the bottom, as has been the most mit the gun to beturned to a high elevation. If the recoil cylinder be placed beneath thegun, as heretofore, it would strike the mount Aelevation.

,The recoil cylinder-,is rigidlysecured to the slide in'any convenientway, as by means of the'collarll and head 12. The pistonv 'rod 14 of therecoil cylinder projects'rear- 1 lward, and has its'endscrew threadedlto engage the lug V13, projecting upward from the gun body. In order toscrew the piston rod 14 intothe lug 13, a suitable angular set collar 15may be provided'to enable the piston rod to be convenientlyy turned witha f wrench and screwed-,home tothe desired so'y position, as showninFig. 1.

' The gun bodv is provided near its breech with a transverse breechblock chamber so arranged that ther breech block may be slidhorizontally therein, as shown in Figs'. 1 to:

5. lThis breech block chamber is open at the rear. as at 17 v*forconvenience in loading. fThe breech block chamber is provided with arib18, set. at a slight angle with the .axis

of the bore of thevgun, which engages the.

corresponding groove in the breech Vblock and furnishes additionalbearing surface Vto Y the breech block against rearward pressure .whenthe gun isfired.V The breech block chamber is provided with recesses19.for the nions of the extractors. i. Y I Y -One side ofthe gun `bodyhasahook claws of the extractor, and 2O kfor theV tru`n- .shaped armprojection 21- furnishinglbearings 22 for the main 'boltfthe hook`members of `which projection are slotted as atx23 to permit the passageof the operating'lever,

.whichis hereinafter to 'be described; k'lhis` projection 21 isperforated horizontally as at'25 toreceive the stem ofthe journal blockfor the main bolt, which will be hereinafter described, and isperforated vertically asat, 26.to receivel the Vlock for said stem,which will also be hereinafter described. f Y `v In rearof the breechblock chamber the gun body is perforated verticall asy at 27 `andhorizontallyI as at 28 (seeF ig. 5)', and

Lzontal sliding type, andLis `grooved at the loading edgeas lat 31 tofacilitate loading,

t and grooved and tapered' at its forward edge."

as'at 32, so-that the breech block-:maywedge the cartridge case Vhome inthepowder Y chamber.

.The breech' block is provided with a groove has a plane'surface 35,which is'preferably v at the-sanielevel `as the bottom of the groove 33,to permit the play' of Vthe `rextractors and forward of this Vplane Ysurface is a groove 30 l'toei'igage one of thet'runiiions 37of! theeiitiactor 38. This trunnion 37 has 'a 'flat face 37%, which is cammedinto en aOeblock (see Fig. 6), owing' to` the engagement of the roundface .37b `ofthe truiinionlwith Vment withfthe shoulderVl on the breechl the cam-.face 361101. the groove 36in the breech block. 1-1

I` Theoppositetrunnion 39 ofthe extractor engagesin' theelongated groove2O (see Fig.

'in the? wallofthebi'eech block chamber' .of the gun. 'Tlie extractor isprovidedwith a'latera'llyprojecting:web 40. (see Figs. 210 to 22terminating 'in the claw 141. This claw projects into the recess 19 (seeFig. 5)

when the cartridge case is 'shoved home in i the powderchainber of thegun.

The breech block is'alsoprovided-.with a calm grooif'ef42, seejFigs. '3,,4,"6 andl 7,.v to engagetheT-head 43, of the operating lever 441V,which is vrigidly attached to, or:prefer1f ably:integralfwith,'the mainbolt 115, kjour-. Y 'Yiialed -infthez bearings 22 at one side ofthegun.. .These bearings are slotted.' as at 23 to vpermit. the? passageof. this operating lever ;v and to hold the main boltzsecurely infplace, I-prov-ide auxiliary bearing blocks 46 shovv'n-iiivr assembledrelation .in Figs. 2, 3,

and 1, and in detail iii Fig. 19.

" These kblocks have a bearing surfacee'? to engage the main bolt 45,and ,there are! v'preferably two oftliese' blocks. one above and theotherubelowthe operating lever -In order. to :hold these rfblocksrinplace, I provide for each block` astem 48, which is notched as a at 19,andvthis stem projectsiiitof the? recess 25Y in :the projection21.' 'lThis stemv is lockedV in place by the pin. 50, which is screwedjinto thesocket26, see Fig.,5, and

engages in the notch49 of the stein'` 48.A

'-Thus vthe blocks lfwill be heldin place against being' dislodged`backward.

will be noted that the'pressure on: the VmainV bolt will -be almostwholly in the for- Vward' direction," land that these blocks will merelyserve as keepers for the main'boltn.v

1'25 .This lmain. bolt is-journ'aled across oneside f f of the gun asjust described, fand" carriesat one end, preferably the bottom, thevarious parts whereby uthe. saine,l is operated auto*- matically, and atthe other end, .preferably iso" iio

the top, the means for operating said main bolt by hand. It is desirableyto A'have the latterV at the top for convenience of access to the gunscrew, and to have the automatic gear `at the bottom so that itis thusout of the way, and also is more` or less protected fyenient way, as bymeans of the cap 53 and the screw 54C. This hand lever 51 isl providedwith a handle 51a.

The body of the hand lever 51 is perfo` rated to receive the lockingbai` 55, Awhich vis provided with alocking head 56 adapted to engage anotch 572iii the main bolt 45, as shown in Figs. Y8 and 9. This lockinghead 56 is normally held out of engagement by the spring 58 bearing`against the collar 59 on the locking bar 55. s This collar 59 carries anupwardly projecting` arm 60, and a downwardly projecting lug 61, whichlug is pressed into engagement with the catch v62 mounted onl the breechof the gun, las

shown in assembled relation in in detail in Figs` 8 and 9.

TVhen this bar isynormally pressed outward by the spring 58, the lockinghead 56 will be clear of the main bolt Ll5, and the catch 62 will holdthe hand lever in the fixed position, so that the' gun may recoil andmove forward aga-in, and may be op- Fig. and

`erated automatically or semi-automatically without anv swinging aroundof the hand lever; 'but if it is desired to operate by hand,

'by gripping rmly on the handle 51a and the arm 60. the hand lever willbe thrown into operative relation and the main bolt may be rotated byhand in the usual way, causing the operating lever elet to move thebreech block to the open or tothe closed position, as may be desired,`and at the same time operating the extractors and the various otherparts of the mechanism, as will be hereinafter more fully described inconnection with tlie operation of the gun.

Reverting now to the parts for operating the gun semi-automatically, 63represents `a cylindrical shell, preferably open at its rear end,attached to the gun at one side. In this shell is mounted a stout coilspring 64, which bears at one end against the closed head of saidcylinder, and at the other end against the piston or washer 65adiustably secured on the rod 66 by means of the nuts 67. The tension ofthis spring may be adjus-ted by screwing up, or easing off on thesenuts. Y

The rear end of this pistonrod 66 is connected by the chain 68 to thelug 69, seev 51 is a hand lever,

Figs. 3, 4, 9 to 12, carried by the arm 70 of the yblock 7 1, which issecured fast to, or integral with, the main bolt 415. This block 71carries two other arms, one 'of which 72' carries thedownwardly*projecting lug 73,

Yand the other arm 711V carries the stop Ylug 75, which coacts with'the'yielding cam block, as-will Vnow be described.

`The cam block 76, shown in. assembled relation in Figs. 1 and f2, andin detail in Figs. 13 and 14E is mounted on a bracket 77 attached'to the'slide'2. This bracket is pro# the gun, slides when the gun movesbackward and forward on Vrecoil and counter'recoil.

Vvided with a slideway 78, in which the inj V verted lr-ba'r 79,attached to the-breech ofV v' The cani block 76 is provided with twolugs 80 and 81, Vprojecting upwardly therefrom, as shown in Figs. 13and1i,- which] lugs engage respectively tlieklugs73 and 75 of the block71, asindicatedvin Fig. 14.

The caniV is normally rotatedv in one direction Yby the spring 82, andinthe reverse direction by the lug 73 engaging the lug' 80; but thecoaction of the rotarycamwith the lugs 73 and 75 carried by the block 71is fully vdescribed and claimed in my Fat- V,ent No; 996,569, grantedJune 27, 1911, and

entitled Semi-automatic lguns, and willV not be further Vdescribedherein.

The cover-83 of the housing, 'inclosing the cam block, and with it thecam block itself may be heldin either the operative or'the'v inoperativeposition by means of the plunger`8 (seerFig. 111); but this is Vfullydescribed and claimed in my patent, aforesaid, land does not rconstitutea present invention. Y

The firing mechanism, shown more clearly which is journalcd to one sideof the'breech" Vof the gun, as shown iii Fig. 17.

This sear block is normally returned to vengages a notch 99 on the boss100vof the sear block 97. This boss is provided withv an arm 101 vhavinga rounded head 102 engaging in the yoke 103 provided'in the end of thefiring lever 104, which lever ispivoted beneath thegun as at 105 and hasits part off my inFigs.. 1, 3. 4, 17 and 18, comprises the firing pin90, which isV normally pressedY ics `the initial position by'means ofthespring plunger 98 shown in Figs. 17 and18fwhich` outer end enlarged asat 106 to engage the rod 107, which may be pushed backward by thetrigger 108.; thus it will be seen that the spring plunger 98 normallytends ,to restore both the sear and the triffe'er to the n l a Ar`b.. uinitial position, and pulling on the trigger will force this springplunger backwardvand in Fig. 17 so that the sear piece cannot beremoved; but if the plunger be pushed inward so that the steam 98bregisters with the groove 100, the Sear piece may be readily drawnoutward, the toe 96 in that case passing along the groove 2T in thebreech of the gun, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Thus this spring plungerserves as a lock to hold the scar piece in place in the gun, and also asa means for restoring the sear and the trig-` ger to the firingposition.

Supposing the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 3, by pullingthe trigger the firing pin will fly forward and hit the primer; now, ifthe breech block be moved to open position, either by hand orautomatically, the arm 95 of the cocking lever will ride past the toe 96of the scar and the tiring pin will remain in the position shown in Fig.4i; when the breech block is returned to the closedL position the arm 95will engage the toe 9G and will pull back the tiring pin, restoring thesame to the cocked position shown in Fig. 3.

Tt will be seen that if we pull on the heel of the tiring pin, when theparts are in the position shown in Fig. et, it will be necessary to pullthe firing pin back a consi( erable distance before the opposite end oi"the slot engaging the head 92 oi the cooking lever will engage the backot'said cooking lever and start same to the cocked position. To avoidthis lost motionl provide a hook 92, carried on the back ot the cookinglever, which may be engaged by a hook or lanyard, or other suitableimplement, and the tiring pin and cooking lever may both be broughtsimultaneously back to the cooking position shown in Fig. 3.

VThe cooking lever 93 is mounted in a slot 93 in the breech block, asshown more clearly in Figs. 2, 7 and 15. This cooking lever is pivotedon a pin 110, which is shown in detail in Figs. 15 and 16, in which thepin proper is provided with a resilient arm 111 having a laterallyprojecting lug` 112 adapted to snap into an annular groove 113, whichforms an extension of the bore 11d in which the pin 110 is mounted. Thisresilient arm 111 is provided with an eye 115, so that it may be engagedby a hook or lanyard and lifted out oi` engagement with the groove 113,and the pin 110 may be withdrawn,

thus rendering` it an easy matter to assem-` ble or disassemble thecooking lever from the breech block.

The slide 2 is provided with a laterally projecting bracket `120,provided with. a1 rearwardly projecting arm 121, which is intended to beheld beneath the left arm ot' the gun pointer, so that he mayconveniently look over the sights 122, and his right hand mayconveniently grip the hand grip 108n and the trigger 108. 128 repre-ksents a guard to protect the parts against injury in loading.`

The gun is elevated by means of the hand wheel 125; whose handle 126 canbe grasped by the leithand of the'gun pointer. This hand wheel turns thebevel pinion 127, see 1Figs. 1 and 2, which in turn, turns the bevelgear 128 and rotates the worm 129, which worm meshes with the segmentalvworm rack 130 securedto the side of they slide, as shown in Figs. 1 and2.

lt will be seen that the gun is turned entirely in azimuth by the arm121 while it is elevated. and depressed by means of the hand'wheel 125,thus the same gun pointer f coil there is a strong tendency of thebreech of the gun to whip` down, owing to the changed position ofthecenter of gravity ofA the gun on the maximum limit of its recoil. Ttwill be noted that the pointing arm 121 is secured to the cradle 'as isalso the rack 130, while the bracket which carries the worm 129 issecured to the yoke 4l, and therefore any downward whip of the piecewhen iired is transmitted through the rack 130 to the worm 129 andis'resisted by the yoke 1. There is thus no downward thrust at allthrown on thepointing arm.v

Therrearward trend or overhang of the goose-neck permits the gun to bepointed in almost a vertical direction.

. The operation of the device is as follows: First, to operate by hand.Suppose the breech to be closed. throw the cam 76 out of engagement andlock it with the plunger Sli; `grasp the handle 51a of the hand leverand the arm 60, pressing the same together and causing the locking head156, shown in Fig. S, to engage withthe'groove 57 inthe main bolt 45,and then swing the hand lever 51 by hand, to the position for openingthe breech. This movement'of the breech block will cause the operatinglever 44 to swing outward, further compressing the lspring v 64 in thecasing 63. The extractor will rock' on its front face, causing theextractor lug 39 to pass forward in the groove 2O in the I breech ofthegun, and causing the extractor lug '37 Y t0 'slide through the groove 36in the top and bottom of the breech block until Y the flattened face 37,slips .over the shoulder 36a on the breech block and holds the breechblock in the open `position against the action vof the spring 64' whenthe hand lever is released.

but on*Y opposite sides ofthe Vbreech block chamber. y 1 lVhen thecartridge case is Inserted vthe extractor will Vbe tripped forward,releasing j the breech block, and the spring 74 willrestore the breechblock to the closed position, which action maybe 'supplemented by theoperator at the hand lever if desired, but it will ordinarily only vbenecessary to use the handlever in opening the breech.

As the breechblock returns to the closedA position, the arm 95 of thecooking lever will engage the toe 96 of the sear, and theziiring pinwill bev cocked and theparts will assume the Yposition shown in Fig.V3,'whenthe gun may be repeated. Y.

For *semi-automatic liring :it 'will, of

may be fired, and the cycle of operation .l course, be necessaryv toopen the breech by vhand for loading the first round, after whichthepiece may be operated'by opening and vClosing the breech by theautomatic mechanism, which is controlled by the eX-Y ..tractors, andthese inturn are releasedfby the insertion of the `fresh cartridge case.1

For semi-aiitomaticiir1iig, assuming the first round to have been loadedand the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 3, releaseV the lock84C for the cam 7 6, so that the cam may be in proper controlof thespring 82 for semi-automatic-fire.

Nowfif the gun be fired, the arm- 73 will coact with thea-rm 8O onthercam 76press ing back the cam, allowing the gunvto recoil tothe rear,and onv counter-recoil this arm 73 'will engage the arm 8O and will rockthe main bolt 45, causing the operating lever .4i-4 to open the breechand at the sametime'to further compress the spring 64:., The breechblock will be held' in this open position by claws of theextractoraothrowing the lugs` the engagement ofthe extractor lugs 37with the shoulders 369,1and the breech block vwill be heldin the openposition shown in Fig.

4 until 'a fresh cartridge case is inserted; g

the rim of this cartridge case will strike the 37 out of engagement.with the shoulders 36a and allowing the breech block to be moved to theclosed position underA the action of the spring 6l.

Yes

, Now if the gun be fired again, the same cycle of operations will takeplace.`v

There are two of these extractors, but both function in precisely thesame way' In this semiautomatie iring it willonly I" be'necessary to usethe hand lever lv for the-*lirst loading, after vwhich it is possibleVtoicontinue .to fire the *gun semi-automatifj cally indefinitely, K

It `willfbeobvious from the 'description herein, that the various partsmay 'gbeasf sembled quickly and disassembled `withoutV the use of anyspecial tools more than the ordinary screw driver, hook and wrench.'y

lt will also be Vnoted/that the semi-auto'-v matic parts'and 4most ofthe operating mech- :while there is nothing to yinterfere Vwith r1convenience in loading, pointing and firing the gun. By having theVbreech boltv sliding horizontally, it' will not `be neces-saryrto V-lift the saine, as is the caseV withjguns of the the Hotchkiss type,andtherefore the load on the spring 64 is materially lessened; y

l By'having the recoil cylinder mounted on top of the gun, lit-is alsoout of the way', and

willl not interfere with Athe elevating of the gun, as" wouldbe'the'case were it mounted rbeneath the same; and, moreover,v it can bemore readily assembled in this position `than f when vmounted beneathVthey gun'. c

lt vwill be obvious that various modifica' tions might 'be made Vintheherein described apparatus, and in the construction, combianisin are outofthe way of the? gun-s crew,

nation and arrangement -of parts which..

could be used' without departing from the fg i spirit'of my invention.`Y Y Y lHaving thus described V,my invention,l what l claim and desiretos'ecure by Letters Patent ofthe'UnitedStates'is; y i 1 lfThecombination with a gun mount provided with -a yoke swiveled thereto landinclined rearward therefrom, of] a slide tri'innionedl-in said yoke, ashoulder b'ar con- Y nected to said slide, aY gun body' sli'dablymounted in'said slide andprovid'ed vvithan upwardly projecting lug nearthe breech- `thereof, afrecoil cyiinderfsecured to said` rod-V havingits outer` end., se-

iio",

ifi.

iiected to said slide, 'a gun' body slidably.. i

mounted in said'slide'andprovided with aufv upwardlyA projectinglug-,near 'the breech thereof,`a recoil cylindersecured to ,said slideabove said gun body, and a, recoil ,cyl-

inder piston, and piston rod, the said piston rod havingits outer endscrewed" into -said lug, a segmental rack fast to said slide pro# iso Yscribed..

vided with Worm teeth, a bracket carried by said yoke, a Worm journaledin said bracket and engaging said rack teeth, and means for turning saidworm, substantially as n de- 3. The, combination With a gun mountprovided with a yoke swiveled thereto and l inclined rearward therefrom,of a slide trnnnioned in said yoke, a shoulder bar connected to saidslide, a gun body slidably Y mounted in said slide providedwvith ahorizontally disposed breech block chamber provided with an upwardlyprojecting lug near the breech thereof, a recoil cylinder secured tosaid slide above said gun body, a recoil 1.. cylinder piston, andVpiston rod, the said piston rod having its outer end secured' to saidlug, a-horizontally sliding breech'block and an operating lever hingedtothe side of the gun` and engaging said breech block, With means foroperating said operating lever, a segmental rack fast to said slideprovided with Worm teeth, a bracket carried by said yoke, a Wormjonrnaled in said bracket and engagingsaid rack teeth, and

means for turning said Worm, substantially as described.

4. The combination With a gun mount provided With a yoke swiveledthereto and inclined rearward therefrom, of a slide trunnioned in saidyoke, a shoulder bar connected to said slide, a gun body slidably 1mountedinisaid slide, provided With a horizontally disposed breech`block chamber, and also provided With an upwardly projecting lug nearthe breech thereof, a recoil cylinder secured to said slide above saidgun body arecoil cylinder piston, and piston rod, theV said piston rodhaving its outer endV necte'd tosaid slide, a gun` body` slidablyl`monnted in said slide, provided with 'a hori' Zonta-ily disposed breechblock chamber, and Y also provided With an upwardly projecting lug nearthe breech thereof, a recoil cylinder secured to said .slide above saidgun body, a recoil cylinder piston, and piston xrod, the said pistonVvrod `having its outer end secured to said lug, a horizontally slid` iing breech block, and an operating lever hinged to the side ofthe gunand engaging saidbr ech block, with means for operating said operatinglever either by hand or automatically, said means comprising a'main boltjonrnaled verticallyv at the side of thel gun Vandrigidly connected tosaid operating .f lever` a hand lever mounted above the .gun

and `loose-ly jonrna'led on said main bolt, with means for rigidlyconnecting said hand lever to said main bolt when desired, asemiautomatic attaclnnent carried by the slide and mounted .below thegun body, and means carried by the lower end' of said main bolt foractuating the semi-automatic mechanism after the gun is Jfired, asegmental rack fast to said. slide provided with Worm teeth, a bracketcarried by said yoke, a Worm )ournaled in said bracketand engaging saidrack teeth, and means for turninglsaid Worm,v i

substantially as described.

6. In a breech leading gun' of the character described, the combinationwith a gun body providedavith hook' shaped bearingsV projectingtherefrom, of a main bolt journaled in saidbearings and provided. withan operating lever `for the breech block, bearing'blocks detachablyconnected to the gunV for holding said main bolt in place in itsbearings, each providedgwith a stem projecting'into a recess provided inthe gun, and means forlocking said stem `in place, substantially asdescribed.`

T. ln a breech loading gnnof the character dcs'cribed,the combinationwith a gun body provided with hook shaped bearings projecting therefrom,of a main bolt jouroperating leveifor the breech block,.bear

ingblocks ydetachably connected to the gun for holding said main bolt inplace in its bearings, each Yprovided,with a stem projectingintofarecess provided in the gun, the said stem having a notch in oneside thereof and a pin held in the gun and `projecting into saidnotch,"and thereby constituting means for locking said stem in place,substantially as described.

vn'testimony whereof I aiX my signature.

,-10,0 Analed in said bearings and provided With an.

Louis nnieiees.v

